You can lower your child’s threshold for talking about bullying by discussing the topic proactively. For example, you can think together about what they could do if they saw others being bullied at school or in a hobby. Talk also about the communication culture of social media and messaging apps, as face-to-face bullying often spills over into the mobile world, or it can occur purely in the online environment.
If the young person tells you about bullying or other difficult situations, start by listening and giving them space. Ask them if they have ideas of their own about how to resolve the situation or if they would like you to get involved. Young people usually need adult support for the bullying to stop. Agree together with the teenager on how you will proceed in the matter.
Bullying at school
The first person to contact about bullying at school is your child's teacher or class teacher. Schools have a well-developed multi-stage approach to tackling bullying. Long-running bullying can also be tackled with the help of other parties, such as Youth Services, organisation operators or even the police, if necessary.
There are also digital channels at schools available for pupils to report bullying or seek support for everyday life, e.g. from the school social worker and psychologist.
Learn about the anti-bullying activities of comprehensive schools
Learn about the anti-bullying activities of vocational schools
Bullying during leisure time
It can be helpful to know your child's friends and their parents when dealing with bullying during leisure time. Often, the young person can also offer perspectives that can help you assess what the best course of action would be. Listen to and respect their point of view, even if you want to do things differently. However, you should intervene in bullying even if the young person is concerned about potential consequences.
Find out whether the bullying extends to several areas of life and what forms it takes. Find out if you could collaborate with the school, adults involved in hobby activities and parents to tackle bullying extending to different areas. If the bullying meets the criteria for a crime, you can report it to the police.
To support the young person’s mental health and self-esteem, make sure that they also have environments and friendships where no bullying occurs. Listen to and support the young person, and try to encourage them to seek support, if necessary, e.g. from the school social worker.
Ideas for making new friends on the Youth Helsinki website (Link leads to external service)